Improvement in railway-wheels



J. A. osENBRcK.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

RAILWAYWI'IEEL.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

J. A. osENBRcK. RAILWAY WHEEL.

Patented May 1 1877.

N. PEFRS, PHOTO LITHCGRAPHER WASHINGTON. ,0. C;

RAILWAY WHEEL.

Patented May 1, 1877.1

MPUS, FHOTOLITHOGRAFNER. WASHXNGTON. D C.

y lidar E ES JOHANNES A. OSENBRCK, OF HEMELINGEN, NEAR BREMEN, GERMAN EMPIRE.

IMPRQVEMENT IN RAILWAVWHEELS.

Specification forming part of Lettere Patent No. H90,246, dated May 1, 1877; application tiled December 2, 1876.

To all whom lit may concern:

`Be it known that I, JOHANNES AUGUST OSENBRGK, of Hemelingen, near Bremen, in the German Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Wheels and Axles, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The principal objects of this invention are as follows: To overcome the evil effects arising from the friction which takes place at present betweenrailway-car wheels and rails, especially in passing round curves; to improve the means of lubricating the bearing or journal surfaces of such wheels and their axles, and to diminish the wear and tear in such journals; to reduce vibration and the violent twisting-strain to which such axles as at present constructed are subjected; andto obtain by these means a steadier and easier motion of the carriage, so that as a result a train shall require less draft-power and be run at a less expense for fuel, oil, and repairs.

' According to this invention the axles are fast, and the wheels revolve loose thereon, all as hereinafter described.

The improvements refer to the construction of the wheel-bosses, the axles, and especially the journal parts of same, and the bearingbrackets, and other parts of the under part of the carriage, by which parts the axles are carried.

I will first describe4 this invention with reference to loose railway-wheels placed outside the supporting-springs and horn-plates.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a railwaywheel and axle, and parts connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a transverse section at line A A, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse section at line B B, Eig. 1, viewed from between the wheels. A

a is the wheel-boss, which in this case is forced into the wheel by hydraulic pressure, the wrought-iron ring g1 being then shrunk on. The nave is 'in front surrounded by a concentric mantle, al, closed oil-tight by anA end cover, a?. The space a3 between this mantle a1 and the front part of the boss a forms what may be termed the oil-supply or centrifugal chamber. At the back or inner side ofthe wheel-boss a there is another concentric but smaller mantle, b, closed oil-tight by a leather or other suitable packing-ring forming joint with the axle c; The space d within forms the oilcollecting chamber. The oilsupply chamber a3 and the oilcollecting chamber d are united by one or more passages, e, slanting from the latter down to the former. On Fig. 2 are shown seven such passages. The collecting-chamber d is, by preference, made sloping inside, as shown, increasing in diameter toward the opposite side of the wheel and the slope of the connecting passage or passages e to the front or centrifugal chamber. a3 is, by preference, made less than that of the oil-collecting chamber d. The axle is formed with a central chamber,f, which may be fitted or lled, as here shown, with afilter or filtering appliance. communicates by the passage f2 with a catchi tube, f3, fastened to the axle citself, or, as here shown, to a ring or disk, c1, screwed onto the axle c. This tube f3 reaches nearly to the greatest inside .diameter of the supply-chamber a3, being, by preference, placed in a vertical position, as shown. Its mouth is splayed in both directions of revolution of. the wheel. It has also a catch-basin, f4, beneath the mouth communicating with the interior of the tube f3. The use of this catch-basin will be described presently. The central or filtering chamber is connected by several holes, c2, with the journal to be lubricated.

To prevent the wheel from running off, the disk cl is screwed on the fore part or outer end of the axle c, and a set-screw, c3, may be put through it for greater security to prevent the disk c1 from working loose. The disk c1 has, preferably, a gun-metal facing, g, where it works against the nave or its cast-steel bush. The aforesaid ring gl has a bearing against the inner side of the wheel. The oil is supplied to the oil-supply chamber a3 by taking off the front cover a2. NVhen this cover, then, is closed oil-tightno oil can escape in that direction. From the inner side of the nave oilescape is prevented by a leather ring, d1, (or it might be a cup-leather or turned-up collar,) fitted to the nave, and forming joint with the surface of the axle, or with a collar thereon.

The central chamberfin the axle The axle has also a groove, l, (or it might be more than one,) between the leather ring d1 and the journal. The groove is, by preference, of the form here shown-that is, fiat or A broad at the bottom, and with a sharp edge,

the front-side to same being vertical and the back sloping; or, instead of a leather ring on or in the nave, a ring, d2, as shown at Fig. 4, may be applied, consisting of lead, with a slight addition of antimony, cast on the axle, and formed with one or more grooves, Z, as aforesaid, the edge of the nave running on this hard lead ring; or the axle may here be formed with a projecting turned ring, with, say, four parts cut away, and the hard' lead ring has corresponding parts cut out of its in 11er corresponding surface. The lead ring is slipped onto this part of the axle, as shown, for further security, and especially against the entry of' dust. A wrought-iron disk, d3, may be shrunk on a grooved part of the axle lforming joint with the outside of the nave, by means of a leather ring, as shown.

The supply or centrifugal chamber a3 has in its inner circumference one or more pockets' or receptacles, a, and one or more pockets-a4 in the opposite direction. There are here shown four of each. The object of these pockets is to insure a proper lubrication even at the slowest speed where the centrifugal power is not sufficient t o distribute the oil all round the inside of the chamber a3, and thus enable the tube f3 to catch it. The catch-basin f4 on the catch'tube f3 is a little wider than the pockets, and of suitable length. When the railway-wheel revolves slowly all the eight pockets or receptacles a4 are filled one af'ter another when in their lowest position; four empty themselves again immediately, but the other four carry their oil up and empty itV into the basin f4 of the catch-tub'efi, whence the oil flows into the tuhe'f, and thence to the iltering-chamberjl The filter may consist of a perforated tube surrounded by wire-gauze and flannel. After it has been inserted into the central chamber in the axle the opening is closed oil-tight by a stop-screw,f1.

The next part of this invention refers also more particularly to railway-wheels; and the special objects attained by this part of the invention are, first, a reduction of vibration, with its consequent molecular changes in the nature of the axle, whereby the metal of same becomes crystalline in its structure, as is well known at the present time; second, a primary reduction of friction of' the wearing-surfaces in contact; third, a secondary reduction of such friction by the diminution of the vibration; fourth, a consequent reduction in the wear and tear of rubbing-surfaces; fifth, a diminution of the draft-power required, and, sixth, an increase in the durability of the axle and wheel boss.

By the use of' a soft-metal bush in the nave, as heretofore, the evil arises that this bush quickly wears'larger in diameter than the bottom wearingsurface of theaxle. The surface of contact between both is thus much reduced, and heat and undue friction and wear result. By the improvements herein described the area of the wearing-surface of nave and axle are little. reduced, the wear being practically only in the nave. The proportion found most suitable'for the purpose of this invention is to make the width of' the axle-bottom wearing-surface about threefourths of the diameter, and to make the length of' the journal about two and a quarter the diameter, at least. This part of the in- Vention is illustrated by Figs. l and 1', in the first instance, and subsequently by Figs. 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The wearing-surface of the revolving nave a is formed with a hard surface, for which purpose it` is preferably hushed with a cast-steel bush, e2, or the nave va may be castv on a chill, and afterward, if required", ground true. The corresponding Vaxle-journal part is formed with a softer surface, f'or which purposey it is here coated with' gun-metal, bronze, or'other alloy. This soft-metal coating'l c4 is shrunk, forced, or pressed firmly onto the axl'eo, and mayfuryther be prevented from turning or becoming lloose by the set-screw c3, preferably inserted endwise in shaft c and ycoating c, and bya feath'er orkey, or' by either of these contriv'- ljh is a sectional viewof the coating c. The @journal-part. of the axle is, forv about threeifourths of its length, turned eccentrically, having its eccentricity toward the top, the remaining outer fourth part being concentric i with the inner shoulder of the axle, as shown,

the top, the bottom line forming a continuaj tion of the eccentric part. The coating c4 of the axle has a ange inside, as shown, working against the cast-steel bush e2 of the nave. `The coating c4 has by preference the greatest thickness below, as shown, where the wear is I greatest, and its outer aforesaid fourth partis a ring, but the remaining three-fourths have the greater portion of the upper half left out. The holes fromA the central or filter ch'amberf terminate at the cavity or space e3 thus formed, and a plentiful supply of oil is maintained here. `The wearing-surface at the botference, in order to save unnecessary friction.

The axle between the horn-plates is, by preference, made of an oblong or rectangular section, as shown at Fig. 3, its greater axis being vertical. 1n ordertobring the springs as near as possible to the wheels, they rest on a bridge orbracket', h, which reaches over the inward-projecting part of the nave a.,-and is form-ed with grooves or projecting parts, or both', for holding the axle, which latter is formed w-ith corresponding projecting or slotted parts, or both, to suit. Fig. 5 isla plan of an axle, which, at one end', is formed with projections hlr and grooves h2 for the bucket lli for the bracket h to fit over and into, re-l ;ances, or this may be done by brazingf. Fig.y

or it may bel only slightly eccentric toward tom is only about one fourth of thefcircumspectivelyz. The1 other *endl-.ot the same viewl shows another arrangement,"4 according toy which similar-parts h3 `are itted onf-separately by dovetails,i so; thaty they f may be= replacedy formed with a small groove all' roundcommu` nicatingv with theroil-chamber e3; The back ang'eof the coating-bushv c4, which can takev itsbearingsfagainst the cast-steel bushje-z, is

formed with oil-grooves for facilitating the access and distribution of' oil to this part from thezoilL-collectingchamber d.

Theffrictiou .between the end of'the axle and ther nave; is'` further distributed or taken up byal hardiv steelA block, g2, fixed-in the end .cover a2., andftakn-gits bearing against a corresponding hard steel block, g3, fixed: inthe enttdiski c1. The lubrication ot these parts is effected byav passagethrough both, andN com innnicatingfwitlralrecess formed in the upper hartrot' the edge sf' the disk c1. rlhe set-screw c3. is',y in. this case, inserted radially through the disk c1. A small set-screw is passed through the: front or face oi' the diskc1 for holding the steel block g3. The: filter is held in' place. by af spiralfs'pring passing round a bush lixed to the@ block., g3, and fitting'l over a central bar formed with` a. shoulder` atk the otheror inner-end.v Bytaking hold of this bar the lter may be withdrawn when re` quired. The brass .coating o4 is,` in this case, the same thickness: all round except intwo places at the oilfpassages c2, Where the chambers are formed extending some distancesay` threc-fourths-.down on-each. side.- llhe coating c4 is.` prevented from turning by a setscrew venterin g thev axle.v

In the preceding ligures the improvements have beenshown applied to cases Where the axle does not project out through the nave. I will now describe some constructions of wheel where the axle projectsout through the nave Yand the carriage-springs are outside of the wheels where the load comeson the axle.

` Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section ot' a wheel-boss adapted to this construction. rlhe oil is supplied to the nave by means of a stopperedilling-tube, c', passed through the front end oi' the axle and communicating. with the central filtering-chamber in the axle. The upper stoppered opening of this tube i should be higher than the mouth of the catchtube f3 in the centrifugal chamber. The means for preventing' oil leakage infront is a bush, il,

ity, e5, at the bottom ot the, axle.

xedon the'axle. rllhistbush isi'orm-ed with/one or more annular grooves all'round;,.increasing in diameter toward the-inside, and preferablyiat or broad at the bottom and With-sharpr edges, the front side offthe edge beii|g-vertical'and the back slopingz Theoi.l"c,o,lleetsy here and drops into asin-rounding ringchau1- ber formed in an endV cover-ring, a2, screwedoil=tight onto the nave, and havinga leather:

ring, i2, forming joint* withA the bushfil or thev axle itself. The outer gutter-shaped partfi3 of. this chamberl collects the oil which drops:- from the nave while at rest, andconductsit:

intofthelower part of the supply-chamber c3,

lor it may drop directly' into the same.` To. prevent the oil splashing from the catch-tubej'3 in the direction'of the endv cover a?, a half. ring or. shield, i4, is fitted or, formed on4 the:

upper halt' of the bush-z'1 justinside the chamber formed in t-he-r cover. a2, so, that: the olf drops'down from this shieldt'i into thelower partiof the centrifugal chamber a? wit-hout touching the` axle.

i Frein the inner side of the nave oil-escape is prevented by similar means,;as describedwith reference to the previous gures. The central filter f is vhere made in two parts, the lilter proper within thejournal, and the-outer,

which isasmaller perforated tube-foi ..collect inglthe oil from the filling tube'i. This part may also be covered with wire-gauze. y

liig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section ot'a slightly-modified arrangement. The covert,2 is here formed with oneot' the annular grooves; l, described with reference to the bush 1,.F'ig. 7. The axle hasalsoa similar bush, il, with a similar groove, Z, and'also with anouter-halt gutter-shaped part.:3,for collecting theoil'drop-` ping from the nave' while at rest, and conducting it to the bottom ofthechamberu3 without .dropping onto the axle.` The central lilter is made in two parts, with an interveningempty Espacevfor the oil to collectin, so as toinsure` a free iiow ot' the oil, and thus prevent the- .stopping up ot' the lilter. ity e?, formed at theupper part` .ofthe axle,

The space .or cav'- communicates with the central tiltering-chamberby means ot' a long passage or slit, c2, and `a hole, e4, leads from thence` to another cav- In Fig. 9, which is a halt'longitudin alsectionot@another `modiiication, the catch-tubef is at the; inner end of the nave. rlhe oil-collecting. grooves il, at the inner end oi' the nave, are here termed.

in` the-axle itself by the sideof the-catch-tnbea` which latter is formed or iitted Withahalt'fshield, i3.

The oil-collecting grooves l at the outer end of the nave are'i'ormed on a bush, il, screwed onto the axle, against which bush a leather ring on the revolving nave forms a joint. The oil-chamber e3 is broad, and formed by a at on the shaft at this place, and clogging by dirt is thus prevented, and an even distribution of oil insured.

ln the last two figures the' nave is provided with a hard-metal bush, c2, which may be of some suitable composition run in in a molten state, the nave being first heated, in order to hold the bush tightly When cooled. Or a hardmetal bush, say of hard phosphor bronze, may be drawn in by hydraulic power, the nave being preferably heated first, and a ring is after- Ward soldered on at one end, as shown here. The shaft is not shown coated in these two cases, being made of wrought f iron. This arrangement may be applied to any of the first-described construction.

When the wheels are placed inside of the springs, more particularly as regards the arrangement shown at Fig. 6, the springs 7c rest on bearing-brackets in two halves or parts, h and h1, as shown at Fig. l0, and formed with a boss. in which the projecting axle rests with a set-off, to steady the axle axially, and, furthermore, united by feather or key and key- Way, to prevent it turning round. The spring holders h3 pass through the brackets.

Referring to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, it will be observed that these improvements are applicable to the ordinary existing railway-carriages, which can be tted with iixed axles and loose wheels without altering the other parts of the carriage.

According' to another arrangement, namely, when the springs la are outside the wheels, but the axle-supports inside the wheels,a peculiar construction of supporting-brackets, and other parts belonging to the framing for the under carriage, is necessitated. This construction may be as shown at Figs. 11,12, and 13, Fig. l1 being a side View at one end -and a vertical section through line A B, Fig.

l2, at the other end. Fig. 12 is halt' end view and part section through line C D, Fig. 11, and Fig. 13 as a horizontal section through E F, Fig. 11.

On the fixed axles o, and just inside the Wheel-bosses a, rest two longitudinal girders, m, fixed thereto by bolts and nuts h4. In front and behind each pair of wheels, and projecting beyond them, a cross-girder, fn, al, 1s placed transversely on the aforesaid longitudinalgirders m, and secured thereto. The inner cross-girders nl are stayed by slanting ties or struts n2, and the outer ends of each pair of cross-gil'ders n nl are united by a girder, 0, Outside the wheels. The eyes n3, or other attachments for holding the ends ofthe springs k, are tixed to the cross-girders 'n fnl, the springs being placed upside down, as compared with the usual mode. At each wheel a frame, p, is ixed to the longitudinal girders q of the carriage-body, and each of these frames p has vertical grooves, as shown clearly at Fig. 13, which is a cross-section of same.

By thus being able to place the springs outside the wheels greater stabilityisobtained for the carriage.

When the naves are made separate from the wheels, asin the examples here illustrated, the important advantage is gained that the nave can be used again for a new wheel when the old wheel is worn out. The naves may be of cast-steel, and then, of course, lighter than here shown.

Fig. 14 is a vertical section of a belt-pulleyl with my improved means of lubrication shown applied. Fig. 14 is a section of Fig. 14 at line A B, and Fig. lib an end view ot' closing-cover a.. a is the wheel-boss; a3, the oil-chamber; f, the catch-tube, and e the communicating passages.

The lips of the boss a, which overlap the axle c, may, if preferred, be caused to form a tight joint therewith by means ofa leather or lead ring. Grooves Z are also provided for the purposes hereinbefore described.

And having thus fully described the nature of this invention, I declare that I claim- 1. The coating c4, in combination with an axle, c, an internal iiltering-chamber,f, one or more passages, ci, and oil-chamber e3, substantially as set forth.

2. The coating c4, in combination with the ring or bush t', disk c1, ring g, and hard blocks g2 g3 for keeping the nave in place on the axle shaft or stud, and taking thc axial end thrust or wear of one against the other, substantially as set forth.

3. The boss or nave of a wheel revolving loosely on its axle, and formed with a chamber, a3, pockets a, and catch-basin f4, chamber d, and one or more slanting communicating passages, e, in combination with a catch-tube, f, fastened to the axle shaft or stud, a passage, f2, a tiltering-chamber, f, and passage or passages 02, communicating with the upper journal wearing-surface, substantially as set forth.

4c. The pockets a4, formed or tittedpin a revolving nave, and the catch-basin f4, in combination with a pipe or passage for leading the oil from the basin f4 to the journal, vsubstantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOHANNES AUGUST OSENBRCK.

Witnesses:

Fauz OSENBRGK, ADoLF OsENBRcK. 

